Youth Risky and Antisocial Behaviors in Newfoundland and Labrador: The Perspectives of Young People

What do young people know about youth risky and antisocial behaviors (RASB) and what do they suggest could be done to address these behaviors? Although there is much literature on youth RASB, there has been little qualitative exploration of the question stated here. The current study aimed to broach the question and to fill the gap. The study contributes to extant literature by exploring types of RASB among youth, reasons for these behaviors, and possible ways to address them from the perspectives of young people in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). Constructivist and interpretive perspectives where reality is determined through the social processes of subjectivity and intersubjectivity informed the study. Eighteen young people aged 15 to 24 years participated in three focus group discussions (FGD), and data were analyzed thematically. The three main themes resulting from the process were: (1) a spectrum of behaviors, which comprised six types of behaviors; (2) constructed explanations, where participants identified five possible reasons for RASB; and (3) suggested interventions, which comprised three subthemes on interventions to address youth RASB. The findings and their implications for further research and for policy and practice are discussed

Insurance and Inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa: Policy Thresholds

In this study, we examine how insurance affects income inequality in sub-Saharan Africa, using data from 42 countries during the period 2004-2014. Three inequality variables are used, namely: the Gini coefficient, the Atkinson index and the Palma ratio. Two insurance premiums are employed, namely: life insurance and non-life insurance. The empirical evidence is based on the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). Life insurance increases the Gini coefficient and increasing life insurance has a net positive effect on the Gini coefficient and the Atkinson index. Non-life insurance reduces the Gini coefficient and increasing non-life insurance has a net positive effect on the Palma ratio. The analysis is extended to establish policy thresholds at which increasing insurance premiums completely dampen the net positive effects. From the extended analysis, 7.500 of life insurance premiums (% of GDP) is the critical mass required for life insurance to negatively affect inequality, while 0.855 of non-life insurance premiums (% of GDP) is the threshold required for non-life insurance to negatively affect inequality. Policy thresholds are provided at which insurance penetration decreases income inequality in sub-Saharan Africa

Impact of Leadership Styles of Principals on Teacher Educants: A Study of Colleges of Education in Northern Ghana

The study examined the impact of leadership styles of Principals of Colleges of Education in Northern Ghana. A descriptive survey research design was used together with a convenient sampling technique. Using a structured questionnaire, data were gathered from one hundred (100) Teacher educants and Principals from the Colleges of education in Northern Ghana. The Likert rating scale was adopted to indicate the extent of agreement or disagreement. The findings indicated that the majority of the respondents agreed their principals have a good relationship with teacher educants. The personality traits exhibited by the Principals in the Colleges of Education in Northern Ghana varied and each of the leadership styles exhibited exerted positive but insignificant effect on teacher educants performance. It is being recommended that to promote teacher educants satisfaction at the workplace, principals must create congenial climate in their respective colleges to ensure that teacher educants can share and freely express their opinions. Pre-service and in-service training programmes must be organized periodically to improve performance

Determining Participating Factors in Physical Education/Sporting Activities of the Deaf: A Study of Savelugu School for the Deaf

This research examined the determining factors in participating in Physical education/sports activities by the Deaf in Savelugu School for the deaf in the Northern region of Ghana. A survey research design was used for the study. A questionnaire and an observation guide were used to solicit information on the determinants of participating in Physical education/sports by the Deaf in Savelugu School for the Deaf. The questionnaire was administered to one hundred and fifty (150) students. One hundred and twenty-four (124) were retrieved. 91% of the respondents indicated that participating in physical education activities improves on their lifestyles, promotes fundamental motor skills and physical fitness. However, the results indicated that an unsafe environment, family factors, and sports facilities/equipment determined the participation of students in physical activities. The study recommends that adequate modern and modified sports facilities and equipment should be provided to special schools. The Ministry of Education (Special Education Unit) should monitor the allocation of funds and the utilization of physical education programmes. Well trained and qualified physical education professionals must be sent to Deaf schools. The study provides us an opportunity to gain insight into how exposed or porous schools for the Deaf are in Ghana in terms of physical/sports activities

An assessment of stakeholder participation in monitoring and evaluation of district assembly projects and programmes in the Savelugu-Nanton Municipality Assembly, Ghana

Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E) of projects and programmes promotes greater transparency and accountability in development governance. Some studies revealed that participation in Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) is low. This study adopted a case study approach. A sample of 196 people participated in the study. The study revealed that stakeholder participation in M&E of projects and programmes was high among the Municipal Planning and Co-ordinating Unit (MPCU) members and the District Assembly members but low at the Zonal Council and community levels. This has impacted negatively on the transparency, accountability and the sustenance of projects and programmes. The study concludes that stakeholders were rarely involved in M&E of projects and programmes due to lack of concerted effort by the MPCU for grass root stakeholder participation and poor attitude on the part of community level stakeholders in M&E of projects and programmes. The MPCU and the Assembly members’ involvement were appreciably high whereas the Unit committee, the community and the Zonal councils’ involvement were low. The study recommends that the District Assembly through the MPCU should establish strategies  such as increased engagement of the substructures in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation process, creating an enabling environment for the substructures to set their own targets, support them to meet the targets and build their capacities to report regularly to communities under them and to the Municipal Assembly. The Municipal Assembly should partner with the Sub-structures to embark on community sensitization on participatory monitoring and evaluation of projects and programmes.Keywords: Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation, Stakeholders, Community Participation, Projects, Programmes, Savelugu-Nanto

Optimal Routing of Solid Waste Collection Trucks: A Review of Methods

This paper reviews the effect of applying optimization methods on the collection process of solid waste, with particular interest in mathematical programming and geographic information system approaches in developing countries. Mathematical programming approaches maximize or minimize an objective function for improvement in procedure, to ensure operational efficiency and also serve as decision support tools. They however provide partial solutions when implemented in reality and cannot fully handle road network constraints. Geographic information system approaches allow processing of additional considerations, often ignored in other methods, such as the street network modeling. Incorporating environmental pollution consideration is very challenging in this approach, the vehicle routing problem solver encountering limits for large data. For enhanced efficiency of the vehicle routing systems, studies should further focus on incorporating all network constraints, environmental pollution considerations, and impact of land use changes on routing

Traditional Music as a Sustainable Social Technology for Community Health Promotion in Africa: "Singing and Dancing for Health" in Rural Northern Ghana

Music is a social technology of enormous potential for improving community health. This paper reports on a series of applied ethnomusicological interventions, enacted as a participatory action research project in northern Ghana, for health promotion. Initial interventions, performed by local professional urban artists, proved effective. But as they were not sustainable, we followed up by training village-based amateur youth groups, rooted in the local community , to perform a similar repertoire. These methods can be transposed to other societies maintaining participatory musical traditions, leading to improved community health whenever behavior is a primary determinant, as is so often the case (WHO 2002)

Performing arts as a social technology for community health promotion in northern Ghana

Objective: We present first-phase results of a performing arts public health intervention, ‘Singing and Dancing for Health,’ aiming to promote healthier behaviors in Ghana’s impoverished Northern Region. We hypothesize that live music and dance drama provide a powerful technology to overcome barriers such as illiteracy, lack of adequate media access, inadequate health resources, and entrenched sociocultural attitudes. Our research objective is to evaluate this claim. Methods: In this first phase, we evaluated the effectiveness of arts interventions in improving knowledge and behaviors associated with reduced incidence of malaria and cholera, focusing on basic information and simple practices, such as proper hand washing. Working with the Youth Home Cultural Group, we codeveloped two ‘dance dramas’ delivering health messages through dialog, lyrics, and drama, using music and dance to attract spectators, focus attention, infuse emotion, and socialize impact. We also designed knowledge, attitude, and behavior surveys as measurement instruments. Using purposive sampling, we selected three contrasting test villages in the vicinity, contrasting in size and demographics. With cooperation of chiefs, elders, elected officials, and Ghana Health Service officers, we conducted a baseline survey in each village. Next, we performed the interventions, and subsequently conducted follow-up surveys. Using a more qualitative approach, we also tracked a select subgroup, conducted focus group studies, and collected testimonials. Surveys were coded and data were analyzed by Epi Info. Results: Both quantitative and qualitative methods indicated that those who attended the dance drama performances were likelier than those who did not attend to list the causal, preventive, and transmission factors of malaria and cholera. Also, the same attendees were likelier than nonattendees to list some activities they do to prevent malaria, cholera, and other sanitation-related diseases, proving that dance dramas were highly effective both in raising awareness and in transforming behaviors. Conclusions: As a result of this study, we suggest that where improvements in community health depend primarily on behavioral change, music and associated performing arts – dancing, singing, and drama – presented by a professional troupe offer a powerful social technology for bringing them about. This article is a status report on the results of the project so far. Future research will indicate whether local community–based groups are able to provide equal or better outcomes at lower cost, without outside support, thus providing the capacity for sustainable, localized health promotion